Photography Inspiration: Helmut Newton

Lately I have been studying the works of classic photographers in my quest to improve and push my craft further. This time I'm featuring Helmut Newton which I consider to be one of my main sources of inspiration. Newton's provocative black and white photographs are often dubbed as innovative that he has become one of Vogue's mainstay photographers and acclaimed fashion photographers of his time.

I couldn't help but compare Araki and Newton since both share the same penchant of mostly shooting women subjects while infusing nudity and sex in their photographs, but both photographers differ in terms of how their subjects are portrayed in the photographs.

In Araki's photographs most of his subjects are bound, gag, helpless and sometimes even acting as if that they have accepted their doom. In Newton's photos his subjects are portrayed with power, elegance, cunning and knows how to use their charm in their advantage. It is safe to say that both styles are the same in terms of sensuality but is differs like night and day in terms of subject presentation.

What I liked about Newton's work is his shooting style and cinematic lighting, it is as if the images are direct stills from movies. His images has enough clutter wherein people can still make sense of what is happening in his photographs much like a news or a street photograph. What is also amazing in his work is that Newton was able to keep his photographs far from the line of vulgarity and obscenity. Although I cannot say the same for the views of others but to me his work is very much of an art and must be studied further specially for those who wants to improve their photographic style.